Thoughts From My Couch

After a strong road trip, earning five points in three games, the Canes return home to play a team they've had some success against this season. The game on Tuesday night didn't end the way they wanted to, losing 4-3 in overtime, but they earned a point after not playing well all night. Sebastian Aho's goal in the second period was his 30th of the year and it moved him into sole possession of fourth place on the franchise goal list, passing head coach Rod Brind'Amour with his 175th. The difference in the game would be special teams. The Canes' penalty kill allowed three power play goals, including the winner in overtime, and failed to generate much on any of their power play opportunities. Tonight they'll be playing the Montreal Canadiens for the third and final time this season. The Canes won in Montreal in late October with Jesperi Kotkaniemi scoring in the game. The rematch on December 30 took place in Raleigh amid Montreal's COVID issues and at the tail ...

Out of nowhere, the Canes' offense has seemed to find new footing. They've scored 13 goals in the last two games, both road wins, and everyone has been contributing. Last night, the Hurricanes found the recipe for success against the Washington Capitals, a team they hadn't beaten yet this season. They were up 2-0 before the halfway point of the first period, scored three times in the second period, and held Washington to just one goal in a 6-1 win. They scored a short-handed goal for the second straight game and Martin Necas had three points, including two of the six goals. Frederik Andersen was stellar to earn his 32nd win of the season. There is still a black cloud that looms over this game because of the unnecessary hit that Lars Eller threw on Jesperi Kotkaniemi with less than five seconds left in the game and now he's likely to miss some games. Tonight's opponent for the second half of a back-to-back is a formidable one and someone they've grown familiar wi...

There are a handful of opponents this season that has given the Canes fits and there is no more frustrating team based on the season series than tonight's opponents, the Washington Capitals. This is the third meeting in the last 25 days and the fourth, and final, for the season. The Canes have dropped both decisions this month, losing to both of Washington's goalies. They were embarrassed in a 4-0 loss in Washington at the beginning of the month at the hands of Vitek Vanecek. The loss in Raleigh ten days ago has a little bit of controversy surrounding it. Vincent Trocheck took an interference penalty on Garnett Hathaway with 5:08 left in the third period and the Canes leading 3-2. Washington would then score four seconds later to tie it, then win the game in a shootout. The league, a few days later, fined Hathaway for embellishment and acknowledged it should've been 4-on-4. I'm not sure if that would've made a huge difference, but it's too late to change it now....

The road through March continues on as the Hurricanes hit the road after a disappointing homestand. While they did finish with four of a possible eight points in the four games (1-1-2), it felt like they should've won each game. They blew a late lead and lost in a shootout to Washington. They then got shut out despite putting up 44 shots on the Rangers. They snapped out of it by beating Tampa Bay on Tuesday night, but couldn't hold a lead when they got it against Dallas on Thursday night and lost again in a shootout. Nino Niederreiter scored twice against Dallas and Vincent Trocheck added a power play goal, but Scott Wedgewood stole the show to get the second point for Dallas. The Canes will not hit the road for three games in four days, starting in St. Louis. The Blues visited Raleigh on November 13 for the first meeting of the season. The Canes jumped out to an early lead in the first thanks to Brady Skjei, then Sebastian Aho scored on the power play early in the second. The ...

The Hurricanes are looking to start a new winning streak after breaking their season-long four-game losing streak against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night. The win in Raleigh featured power play goals from Martin Necas and Tony DeAngelo, while Sebastian Aho picked up the game-winner in the third period to help secure a 3-2 win for the Canes. Tonight, they'll welcome in a Western Conference opponent that gave them fits during their first meeting of the season, the Dallas Stars. It was one of the most frustrating losses of the season and is a game I remember all too well. Roope Hintz scored a hat trick as Braden Holtby stopped 39 shots in a 4-1 win for the Stars. Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored the only goal that night for the Canes as Frederik Andersen took the loss, facing just 16 shots. The big news coming into tonight is the Hurricanes debut of Max Domi after being acquired at the trade deadline. He'll start tonight with Kotkaniemi and Derek Stepan, two former teammates of ...

The deadline has come and gone, so now it's back to business as usual. The Hurricanes have dropped four straight and had their home point streak ended on Sunday night in a 2-0 loss to the New York Rangers. Alexander Georgiev stoned the Canes for 60 minutes as they were shut out for just the third time this season. Tonight, they'll welcome in the Tampa Bay Lightning for their second meeting this season. They met down in Tampa on November 9 in a very tightly contested rematch of the second round of last season's playoffs. The Lightning opened the scoring in the second period courtesy of Steven Stamkos, but Teuvo Teravainen tied it up midway through the third period on the power play and the game would need overtime. After Brady Skjei's winner was called back since the Canes were offsides, Martin Necas beat Andrei Vasilevskiy clean to give the Canes a 2-1 win. Frederik Andersen only faced 18 shots in the win. He'll be the starter tonight. The Canes were relatively quie...

It has been a rough week for the Canes. They're coming off their third straight loss, a 4-3 loss to Washington in a shootout on Friday night, in a game that they led late before allowing a late power play goal and then failing to score in the shootout to drop the division matchup. Despite the disappointing decision, the team's home point streak moved to 14 games, one shy of the franchise record. Seth Jarvis scored twice in his return to the lineup to lead the charge and Antti Raanta stopped 37 of 40 to lead the team to the one point. The Rangers are coming to town for the second time this season, visiting on January 21. The Canes were all over the Rangers through the first 40 minutes, jumping out to a 5-1 lead with five different goal scorers. New York fought back to bring it within two, but Tony DeAngelo scored on the power play and went absolutely nuts to secure a 6-3 win for the Canes. DeAngelo has three points in his first game against his former team, while Aho added three...

The 13-game home point streak will face a serious test as the Canes will return home to host the first of two very important Metropolitan Division games this weekend, starting with the Washington Capitals. This is the third meeting between the two teams, Washington winning both meetings thus far. They last met 15 days ago in D.C. and it was all Washington from puck drop. The Canes couldn't generate any offense against Vitek Vanecek and were shut out for the second time this season, 4-0. One big problem for the Canes that night was their inability to stay out of the box, taking six penalties and allowing two goals during those six kills. They didn't help Frederik Andersen out at all as he took the loss. Andersen was in the net for last night's loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. While the score would indicate a one-goal loss, the late goal from Trocheck made it appear closer than it truly was in the third period. I thought the Canes played two good periods, but they entered the...

It's been another extended break for the Canes after playing three games in four days last week. Tonight, they head north of the border for their final meeting of the regular season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The teams have split their previous two meetings, the Canes winning in Raleigh 3-1 on October 25, and the Leafs scoring late to force overtime before winning it in extra time 4-3 in Toronto on February 7. Last week was a good week for the Canes as they beat Colorado 2-0 and Philadelphia 3-1 in front of the home crowd before traveling to Pittsburgh and dropping a tight 4-2 contest to the Penguins on Sunday afternoon. Despite it being the second half of a back-to-back in less than 22 hours, the team looked good, but couldn't solve Tristan Jarry early. Brett Pesce scored early in the third period and Sebastian Aho scored late, extending his goal streak to three games and his point streak to five games, to provide the offense for the Canes as Antti Raanta took the loss. Fre...

Less than 24 hours ago, the Canes took down the Philadelphia Flyers in the final meeting of the season. This afternoon, they'll be right back at it on the road for their final meeting with the Pittsburgh Penguins. This is the third meeting in three weeks between the two teams that are fighting for the Metropolitan Divison crown. The Canes have gotten the better of both meetings with the Pens thus far, winning 4-3 in Pittsburgh on February 20, before Jordan Staal helped the team overcome a 2-0 deficit to force overtime and Andrei Svechnikov earned the second point with the winner on March 4 in Raleigh. Staal has three goals in the two meetings this season, while Antti Raanta has won both games in the net. Raanta is likely to get the start again today after Frederik Andersen returned from his injury to lead the team to a 3-1 victory over the Flyers yesterday. Steven Lorentz scored to break the ice in the second period, Jordan Martinook deflected a shot over the shoulder of the goalie...

For the fourth and final time this season, the Hurricanes and Flyers will be meeting, this time on national television. Today's afternoon affair will be broadcast on ABC, which already is sending some fans into a tailspin given the Canes' known struggles on games in front of a national audience. The prior three meetings have all ended in different ways. The Flyers rode an amazing start from Carter Hart (39 saves) to steal a 2-1 win in Raleigh on November 12. The Canes earned a measure of revenge two weeks later, scoring four unanswered goals to win 6-3 in Philadelphia. They last faced off just about three weeks ago in Philadelphia, 24 hours after a tough win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The game was back-and-forth for three periods, with Oskar Lindblom cleaning up a rebound to tie the game with less than five minutes left to force overtime. The Canes would earn the second point on an overtime-winner from Brett Pesce to sweep the Pennsylvania trip. Eyes will be on Jesperi Kotka...